Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI)

Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) is a rare genetic prion disease that progressively affects the brain, leading to severe sleep disturbances. People with FFI experience increasing difficulty in falling asleep and maintaining sleep, eventually resulting in total insomnia. This lack of sleep significantly impairs brain function, causing confusion, personality changes, and memory loss. Over time, the condition worsens, leading to serious health complications and ultimately death. FFI is inherited and typically appears in middle age, with no known cure currently available. It exemplifies how misfolded proteins can disrupt normal brain activity and health.